ategui said. If he wants to do something, go to some outreach program where he can do some good. And I get it, his First Amendment right. But you dont sit during the pr

ATLANTA -- Point guard Ish Smith has the Detroit Pistons talking to each other on the court, moving the ball fluidly and getting stops on defense.The result has been an impressive run against quality opponents.We were just flying around, Smith said. Thats going to be the key for us going forward, just constantly getting better defensively. If we can do that, then well be pretty good.Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 23 points, Tobias Harris added 18 and Detroit beat the reeling Atlanta Hawks 121-85 on Friday night.The Pistons, who tied a team record with 17 3-pointers, have won five of six and are 3-1 on a trip that included stops at playoff contenders Oklahoma City, Charlotte and Boston.To win three in a row against three teams ahead of you in the standings, all over .500, on the road, in four days? coach Stan Van Gundy said. Thats a pretty good trip. So now the challenge is dont get full of ourselves.Andre Drummond finished with 14 points and 14 rebounds and Smith had 13 assists as seven players scored in double figures for Detroit.The Hawks, losers in eight of their last nine games, were 9-2 and tied for the Eastern Conference lead after beating Milwaukee on Nov. 16. Now they are one-half game behind eighth-place Detroit and headed to play Toronto, the Easts second-best team, on Saturday.Dennis Schroder had 17 points and 13 assists for Atlanta. Tim Hardaway Jr. and Mike Muscala scored 11 each.Caldwell-Pope had 15 points in the first quarter and finished the first half with 20 points on 8-for-16 shooting, 4 for 5 on 3s. The former University of Georgia standout and former Southeastern Conference player of the year finished 9 for 20 from the field.The outcome was decided early and resembled Atlantas recent blowout losses to New Orleans and Utah.Its been a difficult run and the Hawks worst stretch of games under coach Mike Budenholzer, now in his fourth season, since they lost 14 of 15 from Feb. 4-March 8, 2014.The Hawks played their second straight game without leading scorer Paul Millsap, who averages 16.1 points and is sidelined with a left hip injury. But star center Dwight Howard had just two points, took only four shots and was whistled for five fouls.I think as a team weve got to find a balance that we play inside and outside, Schroder said. Weve got to keep moving the ball. We cant throw it into Dwight and he plays 1-on-1. Thats not how we play, but Ive got to do a better job of finding him and getting him more post touches.Atlanta missed 10 straight shots from the field during a stretch in which it trailed 51-32 in the second.The Hawks never led after Caldwell-Pope hit a 3 at the 4:39 mark of the first. Detroit led 58-34 on Drummonds dunk of an alley-oop pass with 2 minutes left in the second.TIP-INSPistons: Two games after hitting 12 3s in Tuesdays win at Charlotte, Detroit was torrid beyond the arc. Jon Leuer, who finished with 16 points, went 4 for 5 on 3s. Caldwell-Pope finished 5 for 8. The team record of 17 3s was first set Dec. 28, 2014, at Cleveland.Hawks: Budenholzer went with his second unit -- Hardaway, Muscala, Malcolm Delany, Taurean Prince and Kris Humphries -- to begin the third quarter. The starters -- Schroder, Howard, Kyle Korver, Thabo Sefolosha and Kent Bazemore -- combined for 20 points on 8-for-28 shooting. They were outrebounded by Detroits starters 24-13 in the first half.UP NEXTPistons: Host Orlando on Sunday.Hawks: Visit Toronto on Saturday. Davante Adams Super Bowl Jersey . Batiste, who briefly signed with the Eskimos in 2006, has spent time with several NFL teams including the Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington Redskins. Packers Super Bowl Jerseys . The Australian is competing in his final season in Formula One and still looking for his first win this year. He will look to end Vettels run of six straight race wins on Sunday. Webber, who is fifth in the championship, earned his second pole from the past three races and 13th of his career. http://www.packersonlineteamstore.com/david-bakhtiari-youth-jersey.html . They reached the 100-point plateau for the fourth time in five games, bested the visiting Trail Blazers by 34 in the paint and scored 19 of the final 25 points in regulation. Kenny Clark Super Bowl Jersey . Halladay signed a one-day contract with the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday that allowed the veteran right-hander to retire as a member of team with which he broke into the majors and spent the bulk of his distinguished 16-year career. Marcedes Lewis Super Bowl Jersey . -- Hunter Smith scored the winner with just 12 seconds remaining in the third period as the Oshawa Generals edged the host Sarnia Sting 5-4 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. SAN DIEGO -- San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick kneeled during the national anthem Thursday night and in his new position, he wasnt alone.On Sunday, Kaepernick vowed to continue sitting during the national anthem until he was satisfied with the changes made toward ending racial oppression in the United States.But after a roughly 90-minute discussion with Nate Boyer, the former Army Green Beret and long-snapper, and safety Eric Reid at the team hotel on Thursday afternoon, Kaepernick shifted gears in an effort to be more respectful to those offended by his protest.We were talking to him about how can we get the message back on track and not take away from the military, not take away from pride in our country but keep the focus on what the issues really are, Kaepernick said. As we talked about it, we came up with taking a knee because there are issues that still need to be addressed and there was also a way to show more respect for the men and women that fight for this country.So when the national anthem began playing Thursday night at Qualcomm Stadium, Kaepernick and Reid took a knee while Boyer stood next to them.For the rest of the night, the San Diego Chargers celebrated their Salute to the Military night for the 28th year with various tributes to the troops throughout. Kaepernick knelt during the anthem, applauded veterans and active military during a first-half break with Lee Greenwoods God Bless the USA playing and stood for a rendition of God Bless America, clapping at the end of that as well.Once again, Im not anti-American, Kaepernick said. I love America. I love people. Thats why Im doing this. I want to help make America better. I think having these conversations helps everybody have a better understanding of where everybody is coming from.Those conversations are important to have because the better we understand each other, the better we know each other, the better we can deal and communicate with each other which ultimately makes everyone, puts everybody in a better position.After the game, Kaepernick spent time signing autographs for a large contingent of 49ers fans who stuck around until the end of the Niners 31-21 win in the preseason finale. He then spoke to the media for more than 16 minutes, announcing that he plans to donate the first $1 million he makes this year to help communities in need as part of his plan to take a more active role in combating racial inequality.It was something I was thinking about to try to make sure that Im not just talking about something but Im actively being involved and actively trying to make a change in these communities and Ive been very blessed to be in this position and be able to make the kind of money I do and I have to help these people, Kaepernick said. I have to help these communities. Its not right that theyre not put in the position to succeed or given those opportunities to succeed.Earlier in the week, Boyer penned a letter to Kaepernick on ArmyTimes.com, a letter Kaepernick read and which spurred Kaepernick to invite Boyer to attend the game as a guest of him and the team.Boyer told ESPN that he and Kaepernick had never met before Thursday but he, Kaepernick and Reid had a productive conversation in which they exchanged their views and ideas on Kaepernicks stance and sought a way to be more respectful to the military during the anthem.Reid said he began thinking about joining Kaepernick earlier in the week and the pair had a number of conversations throughout the week. But Reid had reservations about sitting down and Kaepernick understood the anger it caused in people so the conversation with Boyer helped them find a middle ground.He saw that it hurt people that he sat during the national anthem, Reid saidd.dddddddddddd There are people that actually put their lives on the line for this country to give us freedom. We talked for a couple days, to figure out a way to be more respectful of those people and the national anthem of the country while still maintaining the stance that there needs to be things done about these issues. And it was just today actually, a couple hours before the game, we were like, hey, why dont you take a knee and that way youre not isolated from the team, youre not sitting down during the national anthem, youre just changing your physical position, being more respectful to those people while still maintaining your stance on these issues.Nate agreed with that. Thats how it happened.Coach Chip Kelly told reporters after the game that he did not know Reid was planning to kneel with Kaepernick.I was not aware of that, Kelly said. All I was aware of was that Nate Boyer was going to be out there.Once the game got going, Kaepernick was greeted by boos from Chargers fans every time he stepped on the field. He led the Niners on a touchdown drive on the games opening possession and went on to go 11-of-18 for 103 yards with four carries for 38 yards.Kaepernick has been the subject of rumors about a possible departure from the Niners dating to the spring but made it clear after the game that he still views the 49ers as a franchise near and dear to his heart.This is a phenomenal organization, Kaepernick said. Ive had great conversations here. Ive had great memories here. This team has given me the opportunity to become the man I am today. Im grateful for that, Im thankful for that. And San Francisco has become my home.Seattle Seahawks cornerback Jeremy Lane also joined Kaepernicks protest, albeit up the coast in Oakland, taking a seat Thursday night during the anthem before a game against the Raiders.Ive had numbers of players [reach out], Kaepernick said. I think there are a lot of conversations happening not only in NFL locker rooms but around the country. Ive also had friends that arent on football teams say I respect what youre doing, I support you and Ive had more conversations about human rights and oppression and things that need to change in the last week than Ive had in my entire life. And the fact that those conversations are happening is a start.Lane said he was simply standing behind?Kaepernick but that he was prepared for a negative reaction.And I dont mean no disrespect to anybody, but Im just standing behind what I believe in,?Lane said.When Kaepernick left the field following pregame warm-ups, he was greeted with profanity and obscene gestures from Leo Uzcategui, a 20-year Navy veteran in a military-green Chargers jersey with quarterback Philip Rivers No. 17 in camouflage numbering.I was in the Navy, and I saw men and women bleed and die for this flag, Uzcategui said. If he wants to do something, go to some outreach program where he can do some good. And I get it, his First Amendment right. But you dont sit during the presenting of the colors, and you dont sit during the national anthem. That is not the way to do it.Domenique Banks, a 23-year-old fan from nearby Oceanside, California, got the quarterback to sign his Kaepernick jersey before the game.I told him I appreciate what he is standing up for, Banks said. He said he appreciated it. Most of the people I talk to say the same thing. I dont like that he is sitting during the national anthem, but I appreciate what he is standing for.One sign in the crowd read: Youre an American. Act like one.Information from ESPNs Paul Gutierrez and The Associated Press was used in this report. ' ' '